Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: 3 Main Differences

While both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Dementia are associated with old age and affect memory, they are not the same.

So before you start associating one with the other and categorize them as one, here a look at how these two neurological disorders are so different from each other.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is a type of brain disorder that grows worse over time and affects the functioning of the brain. It affects the memory as well as the ability to think and comprehend. As the condition grows worse, it severely affects the ability to perform even the simplest of daily tasks.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is not really a type of disease, but it refers to the various types of symptoms that are caused when the brain is affected with any condition. Dementia causes difficulty in thinking and intellectual capacities, that make it difficult for the person to perform day to day activities.

Main Differences Between Alzheimer’s Disease And Dementia

Here are some of the most common differences between Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia:

1. Disease

While dementia refers to a set of symptoms, Alzheimer’s is actually a type of disease. For instance, dementia could refer to different symptoms that are associated with other neurological diseases. Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, is a definite form of disease.

2. Reversibility

There are certain forms of dementia that are temporary, for instance, symptoms that are caused due to some form of deficiency, or that happened as a result of some medicine reaction. On the other hand, Alzheimer’s disease is not reversible, and once it sets in, it will only get worse.

3. Curability

Once the doctors diagnose the reason behind dementia, they can treat it accordingly and can help the patient and the family deal with it better. However, there is no cure for Alzheimer’syet, even though the medical world is still looking into it. Alzheimer’s is a type of degenerative disease that will only grow worse as time passes.

If you have ever confused dementia with Alzheimer’s, as most people do, take a look at these differences that will help you understand the conditions better.